US intelligence: Putin's Desperation May Push him to Use Nuclear Weapons in Ukraine

William Burns, director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) considered that Russia's military setbacks in Ukraine could push President Vladimir Putin to use tactical or low-yield nuclear weapons.

"Given the potential desperation of President Putin and the Russian leadership, and the military setbacks they have faced thus far, none of the experts can take lightly the threat posed by a potential resort to tactical or low-yield nuclear weapons," Burns said in a speech in Atlanta, according to what was reported by Agence France-Presse (AFP).

The Kremlin had put Russia's nuclear forces on high alert shortly after the start of the invasion of Ukraine on February 24, but the United States did not see much "practical evidence" of actual deployments of these weapons that would cause further concern, Burns added while speaking to students at University of Georgia.